Redhawks aim to cool off Marist

Marist quarterback Mike Perish, who has verbally committed to Western Michigan University, has thrown for 2,431 yards and 29 touchdowns so far this season.
(Sun-Times Media File)

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Naperville Central scouted Marist last week and studied two more games off the film exchange. That was probably all it needed to see.

Most likely, it can't match Marist score for score. Its offensive profile suggests that it won't, so it will think about Saturday's second-round Class 8A playoff game in other terms: Lengthen the field, limit big plays and force field goals instead of allowing touchdowns.

No. 4 Marist (8-2) has scored at least 41 points in each of its past three games. Its lowest point total all season is 20, and eight times it has put up 28 or more. Senior quarterback Mike Perish, who has verbally committed to Western Michigan, is pulling the trigger in this precision passing system based on timing.

After watching film -- he's a D1 quarterback," Central senior safety Paul Wirtz said. "He's obviously a great player -- very accurate, very strong arm. (There) can be a foot of room for the receiver and he can drop it in there for him. So it's definitely going to be a challenge for us, but I think our defensive backs will be able to step up for it."

The 6-foot-4-inch Perish is completing nearly 68 percent of his passes, and has thrown for 2,431 yards and 29 touchdowns.

"He's a tremendous leader and a very intelligent quarterback," Marist coach Pat Dunne said. "He makes all the throws. He can put the ball exactly where it needs to be."

The primary target is 6-2 senior Dan Piko, a two-way player who has 63 catches for 1,002 yards and 13 touchdowns, in addition to 46 tackles and four interceptions. Dunne labeled him a Division I athlete -- though one who hasn't committed anywhere yet -- while Central coach Mike Stine estimated that he will be the best receiver the Redhawks see all year.

But the burden doesn't just fall on the defense for No. 5 Central (8-2). It means establishing the run game -- as Central has across the second half of the season -- to control the clock and field position, as well as executing on special teams.

"(Piko's) very, very fast, runs great routes and (if) you single-cover him too often, they're gonna get him the ball and he'll make big plays," Stine said. "That's what they've been able to do all year. We have to be able to contain them a little bit.

"We're not gonna shut them down. They're averaging (36.6) points a game, so they're gonna score. We know that. It's just (that) we got to make them go (on a) long field. We got to make them run a lot of plays. We got to try and stay away from short, quick scores."

Take away its wins over West Aurora and West Chicago -- two teams that did not qualify for the playoffs and finished a combined 3-15 -- and Central has outscored its opponents 160-152 this season.

That's an average margin of 20-19, and to keep it within that comfortable range, Central can build off the looks it sees regularly in practice. Marist -- like Central and seemingly every other team in the state -- runs a version of the spread offense.

Where Perish was named the East Suburban Catholic Conference's most valuable offensive player, Central quarterback Nick Linne (2,560 all-purpose yards) was voted the DuPage Valley Conference's Co-Offensive Player of the Year.

They're similar players," said Wirtz, who is drawing interest from several Ivy League schools. "(Linne's) arguably the best quarterback in the state, one of the best quarterbacks in the state. It definitely helps for safeties and defensive backs (to) prepare for a quarterback like (Perish)."

Marist upset Naperville North in the second round of last season's state tournament. Stine called his old friend Larry McKeon, the outgoing Huskies coach, for some insight, but didn't think that would matter. Central is concerned with the 2009 Marist team and its explosive offense.

"Everybody's got a different cast of characters," Stine said. "We're worried about this year's team, and they're very good. (And) we're not anything like the team we were last year."